Red Bull Expresses Regret Regarding Comments Linked to Online Abuse Against Driver Kimi Antonelli
The Red Bull Formula 1 team has released a comment expressing its deep remorse for comments made that preceded widespread online abuse, including death threats, directed at young talent Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli was said to have switched his social media picture to a solid black image on Monday, a reaction to the hurtful messages that flooded his accounts. Mercedes confirmed that a number of these messages constituted direct threats against the driver's life.
The controversy stems from radio communications during the final laps of the Qatar Grand Prix. Red Bull engineer Gianpiero Lambiase remarked over the air that it "looked like" Antonelli had "deliberately moved aside" to let rival driver Lando Norris through.
This occurrence proved crucial for the title fight, as the overtake secured extra points. This extended the McLaren driver's points advantage over Verstappen to a dozen points ahead of the final race in Abu Dhabi.
In its official communication, Red Bull asserted: "Observations made implying that Kimi Antonelli had intentionally let Lando Norris to overtake are factually wrong. Replay footage demonstrates Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thereby enabling Norris to get by. We sincerely regret that this has led to Kimi being subjected to online abuse."
The team's statement stopped short of a formal apology for the initial accusation. However, sources indicate that Lambiase subsequently apologised to Toto Wolff after reviewing footage of the incident.
"This is complete and utter rubbish. That blows my mind even to hear that," said Wolff. "We are fighting for P2 in the team standings... How brainless can you be to even say something like this?"
Wolff explained that he had spoken with Lambiase, who claimed he had not seen the moment when he spoke over the radio. The team noted a "1,100% increase" in negative traffic targeting Antonelli following the race.
For his part, Antonelli explained the moment as a simple mistake. He said he was driving aggressively to catch Carlos Sainz and experienced a "big snap" that caused him to go off track and lose the position.
"It was really hard with the turbulence and the tyres were overheating," the driver stated. "A shame to lose the place because it would have been two more points."
Main Takeaways from the Incident
- Red Bull has voiced remorse for comments made by a staff member.
- Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli received death threats in the wake of those comments.
- The controversial remark involved an on-track pass that affected the championship standings.
- Video evidence confirm Antonelli made a mistake, debunking the implication of deliberate action.
- The engineer involved has apologised to Mercedes team leadership.